"by no means" vs "by all means"

Question

"by no means" vs "by all means"

The phrases 'by all means' and 'by no means' have opposite meanings. 'By all means' is used to express permission or agreement, while 'by no means' is used to indicate that something is definitely not the case. They are not interchangeable and should be used carefully to convey the intended meaning.

Last Updated: March 24, 2024

The phrase 'by no means' is used to emphasize that something is absolutely not true or possible. It is often used to make a strong negative statement.

Examples:

I am by no means an expert in this field.
By no means should you attempt this without proper training.
By no means is this acceptable behavior.
By no means did I say that you couldn't come.
By no means will I agree to those terms.

Alternatives:

definitely not
absolutely not
in no way
under no circumstances
not at all

The phrase 'by all means' is used to indicate that something is definitely allowed or encouraged. It is often used to show agreement or to give someone permission to do something.

Examples:

You can use my car by all means.
If you want to join us, by all means, feel free to do so.
By all means, let's go to the park today.
By all means, help yourself to some food.
By all means, take a break if you need to.

Alternatives:

certainly
definitely
absolutely
without a doubt
of course

Answer 1

by no means

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate that something is definitely not the case.

Answer 2

by all means

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to express permission or agreement.

"by no means" vs "by all means"

by no means

by all means

Related Comparisons